Promoting Innovation through the new Rural Development Programmes: challenges and opportunities Aldo Longo Director European Commission Directorate H General aspects of rural development and research Conference Innovation and Rural Development Rome, 5-7 November 2014 Agriculture and Rural Development
Research and Innovation: what are we talking about? Research: creating new knowledge Innovation: translating into practice new ideas - coming from research or from the ground - and new knowledge Concrete new products or services delivered to the market New ways of working 2
Content Research and Innovation: 3 main interlinked frameworks Networks Rural Development Policy Horizon 2020 Networks EIP Networks
Rural Development Policy Innovationrelated rural development measures Setting up operational groups on innovation projects Project funding for activities of operational groups Supporting innovation support services Making the links Horizon 2020 Research projects (calls) New interactive innovation formats (multi-actor projects and thematic networks) 4
1. Rural Development Policy Innovation as a horizontal Rural Development Priority A comprehensive toolkit of measures to support innovation for all types of beneficiaries, for example: Knowledge transfer and information actions Advisory services Cooperation Investment in physical assets and forestry investments Farm and business development Specific support for EIP Operational Groups Setting up Project funding Combination with other rural development measures Support for innovation support services Animation, brokerage, networks 5
1. Rural Development Policy Implementing the Cooperation measure: preliminary insights into programming Nearly all MS have programmed the Cooperation measure It usually contains one or both key "pro-innovation" sub-measures: 1. Support for the establishment and operation of EIP operational groups 2. Support for pilot projects and for the development of new products, practices, processes and technologies in the agriculture and forestry sectors Project themes: variety of approaches in RDPs in the levels of detail Some prescriptive; others relatively broad Possible selection principles for innovative projects: Relevance for specific challenges identified in a given rural area Targeted composition of the partners Quality and quantity of knowledge exchange Potential outreach of project results 6
1. Rural Development Policy Implementing the Cooperation measure: best practice Programme sub-measures clearly and meet different monitoring requirements Elaborate and translate innovation into precise operational criteria Ensure objective and transparent monitoring and evaluation of aid applications keep it simple and verifiable Use the Cooperation measure beyond its innovation meaning Ensure complementarity of all funding streams [Hint: word «innovation» not to be overused no magical properties to win Commission approval!] 7
2. European Innovation Partnership Why the EIP? Integrating better our Research Policy and the CAP Strategic part of the new Rural Development Policy to help bridge science and practice and interact with Horizon 2020 Gives incentives for research, development and innovation Stimulates knowledge exchange, adoption of innovation and technical application in the production process Supports the activities of facilitators, innovation brokers and tutoring paths for farmers to implement innovations Values the input and knowledge of farmers Supports operational groups to develop cross-border interactions 8
2. European Innovation Partnership Implementing the EIP: best practice Strike a good balance between top-down and bottom-up Concentrate on real needs of practitioners; tailor support to challenges faced by the given rural area Target non-agricultural innovation as well wider rural economy Environmental innovation, social innovation, value chain organization, etc. Promote broad and cross-sector interactions among stakeholders, including private companies Support communication activities and providers of innovation services for the creation of an innovation culture Ensure sufficient advisory capacity on actions related to innovation Incentivise trans-regional and trans-national exchanges 9
2. European Innovation Partnership EIP-AGRI Service Point and its website Information on-line, interactive functions, Q&As Possibility to register on the website and advertise projects 10
3. Horizon 2020 HORIZON 2020 EU Framework programme for Research and innovation 2014-2020 (80 bn ) 'SOCIETAL CHALLENGE 2' Food Security, Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry, Marine, Maritime and Inland Water Research and the Bioeconomy (3,8 bn - DG AGRI responsible for 1,87 bn ) CHALLENGES Agriculture and Forestry Food Chain Marine issues Bio-based products
3. Horizon 2020 Insights into H2020: Societal Challenge 2 Research projects, including onfarm experiments Providing knowledge base for innovative actions New interactive innovation formats instrumental for the EIP: - Multi-actor projects - Thematic networks Work programme 2014-2015 of H2020: recommendation to involve actors from rural development operational groups H2020 regulation: implementation should take full account of the EIP 12
3. Horizon 2020 Insights into H2020: Societal Challenge 2 Available budget within Societal Challenge 2 for food security and sustainable agriculture/forestry: 2014/2015: 182.4m (43% of SC2 budget) 2016/2017: 572m (50% of SC2 budget) Two call deadlines in 2014/2015: March 2014 (1 st stage) 124 proposals evaluated, 49 selected for next phase June 2014 (2 nd stage) Ongoing strategic programming for 2016/2017 13
Rural Networks at EU level: a single governance structure Ensuring coordination and synergies Same legal basis Same basic structures for ENRD and EIPnetwork Common strategic framework Broad inclusiveness Network assembly of all main RD stakeholders, including research institutes and advisory services Flexibility and better targeting More possibilities to form different sub-groups (e.g. for Leader, evaluation, innovation etc.) with different focus. 14
Next appointment 15
Thank you for your attention! "It may work in practice, but it will never work in theory" (Attributed to a French diplomat talking to a US politician) 16